


Thirty Seconds

by OnceAndAlwaysEnglishMajor



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Brotp, Gen, fma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 07:48:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8363920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceAndAlwaysEnglishMajor/pseuds/OnceAndAlwaysEnglishMajor
Summary: Hughes comforts Mustang in Ishval.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this http://rebelwithoutaclauseiv.tumblr.com/post/133240908512/just-give-me-thirty-seconds fantastic piece by rebelwithoutavlauseiv on Tumblr. Roy and Maes are pretty much my favorite friendship of all time.

                The stench was the worst of it, Roy decided. Burnt flesh, death, and sand. So much destruction, and so much of it his fault. Roy sat on the ground, outside the Ishvalan town where they were fighting. If it could really be called fighting. Whole-sale slaughter would be more accurate. Roy hated every part of the monster he had become. He stared at his hands. The hands of a murderer. A strong hand clasped him on the shoulder, breaking into his reverie.

            “Roy? What are you doing out here?” Maes asked. Roy refused to look at his friend, hoping Hughes would get the hint and leave him alone. But Maes never was one for taking hints. He settled onto the sand next to Mustang. They sat in silence, Roy refusing to look at his friend.

            “It’s not what we signed up for, is it?” Hughes finally said into the silence. Roy rested his head on his knees. He wanted to protect people. What was the point of having power if you couldn’t use it to protect those without? No, this was not what he signed up for.

            “You know,” Hughes continued conversationally, “If there’s one person you don’t have to pretend with, it’s me. I know you’re not all right, and I just thought you should know I’m here.”  Maes slung an arm around the other man’s shoulders. Roy stiffened, but didn’t pull away.

            “I’m a monster, Maes,” he murmured. He can feels Maes’ hand tighten on his shoulder.

            “No,” Hughes said firmly. “You’re following orders. But you know this isn’t right. You still care, Roy. You still have your soul.”

            Mustang drew in a deep, shuddering breath, trying to hold on to his composure.  But Maes next words broke him: “You’re a good man, Roy Mustang.”

            A rough sob tore out of Roy’s throat. Hughes pulled Mustang close, and Roy let himself rest his head against the other man’s chest.

            “Just--- give me thirty seconds,” Mustang rasped. The arms around him tightened. And for a moment, Roy let himself feel all the emotion of what he’d been made to do.

            “Go ahead, let it out,” Hughes murmured, his jaw moving against the top of Roy’s head. Mustang’s shaking breaths filled the silence.

            “I’m going to find a way to protect everyone,” Roy said, voice still shaky.

            “I believe you,” Maes said faintly. “And more than that, I’ll back you up.” He gave Roy a squeeze and released him. Standing up, Hughes brushed the sand off his pants. Turning to Roy, Maes pulled the other man to his feet.

            “Your thirty seconds are up.”


End file.
